Join the Impact Network for Creatives in Leicester
The Impact Network for Creative provides funded development opportunities to creative practitioners and cultural professionals in Leicester seeking to demonstrate the social impact of their work and build their resilience.
A new development initiative and network aimed at empowering creative practitioners and organisations within Leicester’s vibrant cultural sector has been launched by cultural development charity, Art Reach.
The Impact Network for Creatives (INC) provides funded support and development opportunities to creative practitioners and cultural professionals based in Leicester seeking to demonstrate the social impact of their work and build their resilience. INC offers a wide range of training and one-to-one advice sessions, cultural ’Go and Sees’ and networking events. Participants can choose the elements of the programme that best suit their development needs or opt to experience the entire programme. Thanks to the UK Shared Prosperity Fund through Leicester City Council, these opportunities are fully funded for those whose registered workplace is based within the city boundaries.
One of the key features of the programme is the Go and See trips, which provide members with the opportunity to attend national arts festivals for research and networking. Additionally, the programme includes:
- One-to-one surgeries with Art Reach’s cultural consultancy team, which members can use to workshop and get advice on funding applications or evaluation plans.
- Training sessions on topics such as developing funding proposals, evaluating the social impact of cultural projects, and business planning.
- Action learning sets, which are facilitated sessions for a small group of cultural peers to take a deep dive into specific challenges they face in their work.
Jo Dacombe, Head of Consultancy for Art Reach, shared the inspiration behind the new programme, highlighting its potential to support those working creatively or culturally to deliver projects with positive social impact. “Our people working at Art Reach are creative practitioners – personally I worked as a socially engaged artist and producer for decades, as well as supporting small creative businesses around the country. We understand that freelancers and small organisations like us find it hard to access development opportunities due to costs, capacity, and relevance. We want to change that – these opportunities are vital to boost success and resilience. We believe that INC will truly galvanise the important and inspiring work of local creatives in Leicester.”
Paul Steele, Creative Director of Art Reach. “As a creative producer and consultant, we recognise the unique challenges faced by the cultural sector. Through the Impact Network for Creatives, we aim to provide our creative leaders with the tools, confidence, and connections necessary to achieve the social impact they seek through their cultural projects and events.”
To learn more about this exciting new initiative and how you can get involved, visit: www.artreach.org.uk/INC
